Sermons and Talks, vol. 2, Page 9

passions as we are. Heaven heard his prayer. He prayed that rain might cease, and there was no rain. Again he prayed for rain, and the rain was sent. And why should not the Lord be entreated in behalf of His people today?

Oh, that the Lord would imbue us with His Spirit. Oh, that the curtain might be rolled back, and we be made to understand the mystery of godliness. I long for God. I hunger and thirst after righteousness. As the hart pants for the water brooks, my soul pants after God. I plead with Him for His people that He may send upon us the showers of His grace.

But this is an individual work. Every man is to build over against his own house. Do not think of any one’s faults but your own. Oh, consider this, for here eternal interests are involved. You have nothing to do with the sins of others, but you have much to do with yourself. Act as though there was not another being in the universe but yourself and a pure and holy God.

All who profess to be children of God should be missionaries. You ought to be working in the Master’s vineyard. To one is committed five talents, to another two, and to another one. And everyone is accountable to God for these gifts. Your talents are committed to you to be improved, and unless you trade upon these talents, unless you are faithful to your trust, your fate will be similar to that of the man who hid his Lord’s money in the earth.

“I knew thee that thou art a hard man,” said the unprofitable servant, “reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine” [Matthew 25:24, 25]. The sentence passed upon him was, “Take ye the unprofitable servant, and bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [See verses 29, 30.] This will be the portion of many professing Christians at the present day unless they arouse and work mightily to redeem the time.

God calls upon you to put all your strength into the work. You will have to render an account for the good you might have done had you been standing in a right position, but which you have failed to do. Oh, that you might see that it is time you were co-workers with Christ and the heavenly angels.

Will you awake? There are souls in your midst who are in need of help. Have you felt a burden of soul to bring them to the cross? Bear in mind that just that degree of love you have for God you will reveal for your brethren, and for sinners who are lost and undone and out of Christ.—Ms. 1, 1869.